Mega Cash Scratcher Winner Kevin Clark Went on the Hunt for the Winning Ticket

Have you ever had a gut feeling that something would happen to you? Though many of us might be familiar with the feeling, there probably aren’t too many people who have followed that hunch on a million-dollar road trip. But that’s exactly what Mega Cash scratcher winner Kevin Clark did when he had a feeling about where to find the winning ticket. After reading his story, you might just start paying more attention to your gut.

Who Is Kevin Clark?

Kevin Clark is a man from Candler, North Carolina, who made headlines in early August 2020 thanks to his determination to win the lottery. Clark describes himself as a simple man who, until recently, spent most of his time mowing grass. Though we don’t know much else about what Clark was up to before his life-changing win, we do know that he’s a man who follows his instincts—and it’s a good thing, because his instincts led him to a multi-million dollar win.

How Did Kevin Clark Win the Lottery?

Clark took an active role in winning his millions. Instead of buying a ticket and hoping for the best like most scratchcard players do, upon learning that there was only one $5 million prize left for the Mega Cash scratch-off game, Clark decided that he was going to go out and find that winning ticket no matter what it took. Later, he told the NC Education Lottery, the organisation responsible for the Mega Cash game and many others in North Carolina, that he just had a good feeling that the lucky ticket was somewhere in the western part of the state. With that good feeling in mind, Clark set off on a short road trip.

Clark drove across the western part of North Carolina for four hours, stopping at 40 different stores and purchasing all the Mega Cash scratch tickets they had. Though he said that some stores weren’t carrying any tickets, he definitely bought his fair share of the $20 tickets. He knew his plan was a risk, but he said that he did do some research before making the decision to shell out so much money.

Perhaps part of his research included using an app like Lotto Edge, a lottery system that was launched in North Carolina and New Jersey to help players determine which scratch-off games give players a higher chance of winning. Lotto Edge does so by analysing which prizes have already been claimed for a given game, allowing players to see which scratchers still have large unclaimed prizes. We know most lotto systems promise a lot with little return, but this is one system that does have some merit, and Kevin Clark’s story clearly shows why.

How Much Money Did Kevin Clark Win?

Though Kevin Clark’s determination to find the winning ticket might sound a bit obsessive to some, there’s no denying that his ultimate goal was very appealing. The winning ticket Kevin was hunting (and found!) was worth $5 million. He told the media that he finally found it at a Stop N Go off the highway in Swannanoa, North Carolina.

Clark said he scratched the ticket in his car and checked it with his phone. When he got a message telling him to take the ticket to a retailer, he knew it meant something special. Before heading back in to see the cashier, the lucky winner said he started shaking and crying, and even though he was following his hunch through his road trip, he still couldn’t believe his luck.

When claiming his prize, Clark had the choice between a $3 million lump sum payment and an annuity of $250,000 per year for 20 years. He decided to take the lump sum option and, after federal and state taxes, walked away with $2,122,506. Not a bad outcome for a simple good feeling—and four hours of work!

What Does Kevin Clark Plan to Do With His Money?

Though Clark described himself as a simple man, like most lottery winners, he has big plans for his windfall. In the aftermath of the win, Clark said he was too excited to sleep, but he clearly made the time to think about what his future would look like going forward. He told the NC Education Lottery that he’d always been interested in real estate, and plans to use the majority of his winnings to invest in real estate and some other small businesses. We can only hope that his business ventures yield as much success as his lottery ones.

Conclusion

One of the only reliable things about the lottery is that it is utterly unpredictable. However, Kevin Clark’s story shows that with a little bit of research, a lot of determination, and a sprinkle of luck, amazing things can happen. After hearing about this lottery winner’s incredible journey, we bet you’ll be listening for the next time your gut tries to tell you something. We know we will be!